I hate the TSA

[BT]

Man with strange watch arrested at Calif. airport, charged with having bomb-making materials

Published November 16, 2012

| Associated Press

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OAKLAND, Calif. –  A Southern California man was arrested at Oakland International Airport after security officers found him wearing an unusual watch they said could be used to make a timing device for a bomb, authorities said Friday.

Geoffrey McGann, 49, of Rancho Palos Verdes was taken into custody Thursday night after he tried to pass through airport security with an ornate watch that had switches, wires and fuses, according to Sgt. J.D. Nelson, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.

A bomb squad arrived within five minutes and determined there were no explosive materials in the watch, Nelson said. The checkpoint was closed while officers secured the area.

McGann was taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin where he was charged with possessing materials to make an explosive device, sheriff's officials said. He was still in custody Friday night and could not be reached for comment.

McGann told Transportation Security Administration officers that he's an artist and the watch is art, Nelson said.

While no actual explosives were found, McGann was carrying potentially dangerous materials and appeared to have made alterations to his boots, which were unusually large and stuffed with layers of insoles, Nelson said.

A profile for a person named Geoffrey McGann on the website LinkedIn.com lists him as the owner and creative director of a media production company called Generator Content. He attended the Art College Center of Design in Pasadena from 1984 to 1987, according to the website.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/16/ca-man-with-weird-watch-arrested-at-oakland-airport-charged-with-having-bomb/

[Plane]

Could he be charged with having bad taste in art?


I guess flying with "steampunk" paraphernalia is not a good idea.

[BT]

He shouldn't have been charged with anything.

Why the american people put up with ushers guarding the gates at airports is beyond me.

[BT]

Of course a watch could be used as a timing device. They keep time, that is what watches are for.

Geez lou-eeeze

[Plane]

Good point.
I think that designing a watch that could not be used as a timing device would be a good engineering challenge.

[kimba1]

for the past few weeks I got a heart monitor on my chest and people keep telling you definately can`t go on the plane with that on. TSA really should just give him the option to just not bring it on board and see if he can arrainge somebody take the watch away like pocket knives are treated.

I got a homemade external battery for my iphone but I know all those wires stucking ouit it`ll never pass tsa.

I say both sides screwed up. but the extra insoles would be a issue for me. I do that and just don`t see a problem. I can`t defend TSA on that one

[BT]

I say both sides screwed up. but the extra insoles would be a issue for me. I do that and just don`t see a problem. I can`t defend TSA on that one

Last i heard it is not illegal to design your own elevator shoes.

[Plane]

Make it a pilot responsibility.

Budget time for the pilot to add looking over his cargo and passengers to his preflight routine.

A pilot would line them up and walk down the line looking in each eye.

Then accept the judgement of the pilot without secondguessing him nor penalising further whoever the pilot refuses admission.

The pilots are not especially equipped to do a better job right now, but they are the best and most correctly motivated.

This could wind up costing a lot less time , if you hired a lot more pilots.

[kimba1]

I put extra insole for comfort , also he most likely did it for back problems. few people have same length legs and as time goes by the inbalance will effect some of us. he`s probly making a home version of orthotic footwear. the real stuff can cost $500 . but elevator shoes is viable since he is wearing boots.

[Plane]

Low price airline, none lower.

Time and fuel waste is minimised as much as absolutly possible.
Special low rates for passengers willing to fly nude and without luggage.

[Xavier_Onassis]

I find TSA only mildly annoying. They confiscated my bug repellent leaving Quito.

[Christians4LessGvt]

I find TSA only mildly annoying.

Heaven forbid...we agree on something XO!
I always...every single time I fly say to every one of them I come in contact with:
"Thank you so much for your work"
Almost uniformly they seem a bit taken aback & say something like "I appreciate that, thank you".

[Xavier_Onassis]

I can't say that I thanked any TSA people, but I am courteous to them. They are doing their job, and I assume that it might keep me from dying in a terrorist incident. The process is annoying, but I have never found the TSA people to be anything but professional and courteous to me.

[Plane]

I havn't thought about it before.
As relates to the TSA.
But that is a good point, each of us has this superpower.

To convert a thankless job to an appreaciated one.

With a "Thank you".

I have thanked our Janitor at work a cupple of times , the place would be unlivable in a single day if they wern't busy.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Every time I have gone through TSA, it has been in a rush. I have to unload my pockets, take off my shoes and hurry hurry hurry after 30minutes of waiting in line. Maybe I will thank them the next time.

I always thank the cashier at the supermarket.

I may have even said"Thank you for selling at K-Mart" once or twice.